Types of Speeches: The Toast

If you decide to become a professional speaker or use speaking as an integral part of your marketing strategy, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the various types of speeches you might be asked to give. In this series of posts, I’ll give you the basics on a variety of types of presentations you can prepare. At the end of this post, I’ve listed previous articles in this series.

What is a toast?
A toast is a brief speech of congratulations, appreciation and remembrance for a person … followed by a drink.

This may sound simple enough, but because of the short length and the meaning that it is supposed to carry, many people get very stressed out about writing or developing a proper toast for an upcoming event. What follows are a few tips for creating a memorable, effective and well-received toast.

Tips for effective toasting

Be prepared. Find out who you will be toasting and the audience who will be hearing your toast. What you will be saying in your toast needs to be appropriate to both.

Keep it short. Most toasts last no longer than two minutes. Brevity is a blessing.

Be kind. A toast should be sweet, kind and generous. Do not confuse the toast with a roast, which I will talk about next week.

Practice. Once you’ve written your toast, practice it. The bathroom mirror is a good place to practice … but any place where you can watch your gestures and become intimately familiar with your words is good.

Check out the venue. Once you arrive, get to know the area where you’ll be giving your toast. Understand the acoustics. Get comfortable with your space.

Familiarize yourself with the schedule. Find out where in the event’s agenda you’ll be expected to give the toast. Before uttering the first word, be sure everyone has a drink in their hand and the honoree (if appropriate) is in the room.

Stay sober. If you like to drink alcohol … save it for after your toast. You want to be clear headed so you can say your toast well and without slurring your words.

Gain your audience’s attention. Before giving your toast, get people’s attention. The traditional way to do this is by tapping a glass with a fork or spoon. (Just be careful not to break the glass!)

Look at the honoree. Although you’ve written this toast for the audience as a whole, you should be delivering it to the honoree. Look him or her in the eye … or at least in his or her general direction.

If you are particularly proud of your toast, you might also consider presenting a printed version to the honoree as a memento of the evening.

Note: The tips for this article were adapted from those given in a speech by one of my fellow Speak Out! Toastmasters.

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About the author

Carma Spence, is author of Public Speaking Super Powers. She is fiercely committed to guiding women to Owning their Superpowers and turning their knowledge and interests into a profitable business. She is masterful at helping her clients see what is possible for them and supporting them on the journey from where they are to where they want to be, releasing the Mind Goblins of self-doubt, self-sabotage and second-guessing that keep them stuck.

With 20+ years experience in marketing communications and public relations, natural intuitive skills and certification in using some of the most effective transformational coaching tools available, Carma’s mission and commitment is to unleash the inner power every woman entrepreneur possesses so they can boldly go out into the world, transforming the fabric of people’s lives in meaningful and positive ways.

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